The present invention relates to a hanger arrangement for articles, such as hanging plant baskets, and which is particularly well adapted to mounting of feeders for birds and other animals (referred to generally hereinafter as “bird feeders,” but being understood as applicable to a feeder for any animal), and more particularly to an apparatus and method for facilitating, and making more sanitary, the replacement of feed to an elevated bird feeder once consumed, and a bird feeder incorporating the aforementioned method and apparatus.
A substantial entirety of bird feeders currently on the market are refilled through the open top of some form of feed hopper, which operation further involves removal of a cover or lid which serves to cover the top opening. A refilling operation can be carried out while the feeder remains in a hanging condition, or after the feeder is taken down from the tree limb or other support. In either case, this is invariably a time consuming and relatively difficult task, requiring the use of a ladder and/or necessitating subsequent re-mounting of the entire feeder to the overhead support. In the winter, especially, this can be an unpleasant experience, and one that potentially discourages many from enjoying the pleasurable and rewarding hobby of bird feeding. Cleaning of, particularly, the feeding stations thereof, where the birds actually feed, is also messy and unpleasant, and if proper cleaning practices are not routinely observed by the user, a potential danger to the birds being fed will be present, in the form of harmful mold, etc.
It would therefore be desirable to provide a structure in a bird feeder which would allow facilitated removal of at least a feed containing reservoir, such as a plastic bottle, of a bird feeder, from a mounting structure remaining in a hanging condition to a tree limb or the like, and subsequent replacement of a feed-filled bottle to the mounting structure following feed replenishment or cleaning.
It would be yet more desirable to provide a bottle/feeding station combination which could be easily removed from a suspended state, discarded or recycled after the feed was exhausted, and replaced with a new pre-filled bottle/feeding station combination which could be installed to an elevated mounted and use-oriented position.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a method and structure for use with bird feeders which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method and structure for use in a bird feeder which readily permits at least a feed retaining portion of the bird feeder to be removed from and replaced to a hanging mounted condition.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a method and structure, as referred to above, in an economical form allowing reliable and simple operation.
It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a bird feeder which utilizes the method and structure in accordance with the invention.